Asylum seekers in the UK see a ray of hope to be allowed to get work permissions full time amid extreme labor shortage after Brexit. This could help 70,000 current asylum applicants to seek employment. The issue has come to the limelight after the “Labour leader Keir Starmer”, Conservative MPs, and refugee charities have all urged the government to allow asylum claimants to work. But unfortunately, on the other hand, Priti Patel’s department is against this move.
The latest data show that more than 70,000 people were awaiting a UK decision on their initial asylum claim, an increase of 73% in the past two years despite a drop in the number of claimants. Most asylum seekers are not allowed to work while their cases are being examined and instead depend on the government for housing and basic living needs. The Home Office has revised the rules allowing asylum seekers to work for three years.
MPs, including the opposition leader, stepped up pressure on Patel on Thursday to be as open-minded as Raab. The Justice Secretary said in a statement that a change in the rule could help solve the current labor shortage in the UK.
On the other hand, some critics also argue that if asylum applicants were allowed it would “create a pull factor for illegal immigration like never before. This means people who want to come to the UK to work bypass the system by simply coming in and claiming asylum, before starting work the next day.
The UK has recently been severe issues by having a shortage of heavy-duty drivers and poultry workers. For a short-term basis, the UK government will accept 10,500 new foreign workers to overcome the labor shortage. The UKBA too has not yet decided from which specific countries the labor force will be imported. This is too not clear how to apply for this new scheme. First, it was announced that the temporary visa holders will stay in the UKtillChristmas, but it has been announced that they could stay further till February 2022. About 4,700 further food haulage drivers will arrive from late October and leave by the end of February.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson had repeatedly stressed that he wanted to end Britain’s dependence on foreign labor. In view of the petrol shortage and the problems with food deliveries, however, Johnson’s government came under massive pressure to act.
After Brexit, European Economic Area and Switzerland’s residents will show their authentic passport instead of the Identity card while landing in the UK. This is official news by the UK government. The implementation of this restriction will be from 1st October 2021.